A Letter From A Bahai
Dear Friends,
I am a Baha'i and have always thought the verse in Gleanings was clear and precise that no other Manifestation of God was to appear after Bah'u'llh's Dispensation except for the expiration of a full thousand years.
The verse I am referring to says:
"Whoso layeth claim to a Revelation direct from God, ere the expiration of a full thousand years, such a man is assuredly a lying impostor. We pray God that He may graciously assist him to retract and repudiate such claim. Should he repent, God will, no doubt, forgive him. If, however, he persisteth in his error, God will, assuredly, send down one who will deal mercilessly with him. Terrible, indeed, is God in punishing! Whosoever interpreteth this verse otherwise than its obvious meaning is deprived of the Spirit of God and of His mercy which encompasseth all created things. Fear God, and follow not your idle fancies. Nay, rather follow the bidding of your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Wise" (Gleanings CLXVI).
Nevertheless only moments after sending an e-mail letter to Maitreya asking him to open my eyes, I feel as if have received much reassurance that he is the promised one of all time. I thought I might share with you what I have found, and at the end of my dialogue ask a one last question from Maitreya, if it is his will I am sure he will answer me.
Baha'is generally believe that a great event will occur, an 'unfolding' of the Holy Spirit, much like the Christian assertions about the return of Christ. The verse I am referring is as follows:
"...when the appointed hour is come, there shall suddenly appear that which will cause the limbs of mankind to quake. Then and only then will the Divine Standard be unfurled, and the Nightingale of Paradise warble its melody" (Gleanings, p.118).
Because of the first verse from Gleanings, Baha'is consistently dismiss the idea that another Manifestation of God might visit them, and instead cease investigation of the truth. I found many other Baha'i verses that allude to being perpetually hopeful and receptive to the advents of New Manifestations of God. I will list them for you:
"...We must always anticipate, always be hopeful and Pray to God that He will send unto us His holy Manifestations in Their most perfect might, with the divine penetrative power of His Word, so that these heavenly Ones may be distinguished above all other beings in every respect, in every attribute, just as the glorious sun is distinguished above all stars" (Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 467).
"I am not apprehensive for My own Self, My fears are for Him Who will be sent down unto you after Me-Him Who will be invested with great sovereignty and mighty dominion" (The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 117).
"By those words which I have revealed, Myself is not intended, but rather He Who will come after Me. To it is witness God, the All Knowing ...Deal not with Him as ye have dealt with Me" (Ibid., p. 117).
".... these holy, divine Manifestations are and must always be distinguished above all other beings in every attribute of glory and perfection in order that it may be proven that the Manifestation is the true Teacher and real Trainer; that He is the Sun of Truth, endowed with a supreme splendor and reflecting the beauty of God...The real Manifestation of God must be endowed with divine knowledge and not dependent upon learning acquired in schools. He must be the Educator, not the educated; His standard, intuition instead of tuition. He must be perfect and not imperfect, great and glorious instead of being weak and impotent. He must be wealthy in the riches of the spiritual world and not indigent. In a word, the holy, divine Manifestation of God must be distinguished above all others of mankind in every aspect and qualification in order that He may be able to train effectively the human body politic, eliminate the darkness enshrouding the human world, uplift humanity from a lower to a higher kingdom, be able through the penetrative power of His Word to promote and spread broadcast the beneficent message of universal peace among men, bring about the unification of humanity in religious belief through a manifest divine power, harmonize all sects and denominations and convert all native lands and nationalities into one native land and fatherland" (Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 467).
Though I am a young Baha'i, and have only been a Baha'i for less than one year, I have immersed myself in the history of the Faith as well as in the Holy Writings of Baha'u'llah. From my view of history, the Baha'i Faith's hope for a united humanity seemed to die with the passing of Shoghi Effendi (The first and final Guardian of the Baha'i Faith). After his tragic death the Faith was left in the hands of the "Universal House of Justice," nevertheless it seemed as if the Faith had died and was lost without a Guardian.
In Baha'i writings, I find this same theme:
"Divorced from the institution of the Guardianship the World Order of Baha'u'llah would be mutilated and permanently deprived of that hereditary principle which, as Abdu'l-Baha has written, has been invariably upheld by the Law of God...Without such an institution the integrity of the Faith would be imperiled, and the stability of the en-tire fabric would be gravely endangered. Its prestige would suffer, the means required to enable it to take a long, an uninterrupted view over a series of generations, would be completely lacking, and necessary guidance to define the sphere of legislative action of its elected representatives would be totally withdrawn" (The World Order of Bahaullah 148).
Not only this tragic loss of a Guardian appears to wound the Baha'i World Faith, but also its complete lack of Unity. While the Faith of Baha'u'llah may claim to be unified from its inception, we see all the splinter groups and 'covenant breakers' that have shed their ties to the Faith and have generated their own falsehoods about Baha'u'llah. So recently my conscience has been plagued with questions, that must needs be answered.
Moreover, I find in Baha'i scripture, namely the writings of Taherzadeh and Shoghi Effendi that on many occasions, Bahaullah realized that the world was not prepared for the immensity of His Revelation. I will offer one such example from God Passes By:
"As to those verses which He either dictated or wrote Himself, their number was no less remarkable than either the wealth of material they contained, or the diversity of subjects to which they referred. A vast, and in-deed the greater proportion of these Writings were, alas, lost irretrievably to posterity. No less an authority than Mirza Aqa Jan, Bah'u'llh's amanuensis, affirms, as reported by Nabil, that by the express order of Baha'u'llah, hundreds of thousands of verses, mostly written by His own hand, were obliterated and cast into the river. 'Finding me reluctant to execute His orders,' Mirza Aqa Jan has related to Nabil, Baha'u'llah would reassure me saying: 'None is to be found at this time worthy to hear these melodies.' Not once, or twice, but innumerable times, was I commanded to repeat this act" (God Passes By, p.138).
Surely then, there must be room for more Revelation and clearer more developed guidance from God. In the time since the Dispensation of the Bab, there has been 156 years, and in that time the world has undergone a series of incredible and unbelievable transformations. Certainly then, we are coming closer and closer to the breed of men in which Baha'u'llah made references to, is this the Dispensation of that momentum? Here are the aforementioned verses:
"The heights which, through the most gracious favor of God, mortal man can attain in this Day, are as yet unrevealed to his sight. The world of being hath never had, nor doth it yet possess the capacity for such a revelation. The Day, however, is approaching when the potentialities of so great a favor will, by virtue of His behest, be manifested unto men. Though the forces of the nations be arrayed against Him, though the kings of the earth be leagued to undermine His Cause, the power of His might shall stand unshaken. He, verily, speaketh the truth, and summoneth all mankind to the way of Him Who is the Incomparable, the All-Knowing" (Gleanings, p. 214).
"There lay concealed within the Holy Veil, and prepared for the service of God, a company of His chosen ones who shall be manifested unto men, who shall aid His Cause, who shall be afraid of no one, though the entire human race rise up and war against them. These are the ones who, before the gaze of the dwellers on earth and the denizens of heaven, shall arise and, shouting aloud, acclaim the name of the Almighty, and summon the children of men to the path of God, the All-Glorious, the All-Praised" (The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 85).
"The day is approaching when God will have, by an act of His Will, raised up a race of men the nature of which is inscrutable to all save God, the All-Powerful, the Self-Subsisting" (Ibid., p. 85).
"A race of men incomparable in character, shall be raised up which, with the feet of detachment, will tread under all who are in heaven and on earth, and will cast the sleeve of holiness over that hath been created from water and clay" (Ibid., p.31).
All this being known, and considered, I never forget that only God is familiar with the time and hour for the dawning of the Manifestations, so whereas I and other Bah's may firmly believe that 1,000 years (Gleanings CLXVI) is the requisite time period before which any Manifestations may appear, I myself am left unconvinced in my own ability to interpret scripture. Therefore I turned toward Maitreya to 'open' my eyes, and recognized my own incapacity to realize the truth. And even as I write this I am not sure with each breath as to rather this is a figment or a reality. I suppose in time all things will be deservingly disclosed to me. Here is the verse I mentioned in this paragraph from Baha'i scripture that promises only 'God Knowing':
"For none knoweth the time of the Revelation except God. Whenever it appeareth, all must acknowledge the Point of Truth, and render thanks unto God" (Epistle to the Son of the Wolf. P. 157).
We are again assured by Baha'i scripture that the next Manifestation will be more perfect than the previous one(s). So if the Baha'i Faith and Bah'u'llh's Covenant has failed to ensure man's Unity, then perchance, Maitreya's Covenant will not fail, and as promised create an ever maturing human society. Here again are some mentioned themes:
"...each Manifestation is more perfect than the last and includes all preceding ones" (Vahid III:13).
"...and each time the Divine Will returns with increased strength and fuller utterance" (Vahid III:12).
"A new Manifestation comes as soon as the evolution of the human race has prepared men for it" (Vahid VI:13).
"...but only God knows when it will be" (Vahid VII:10, Vahid III:153).
I know by study of religion and by use of sources that Islam expects three Manifestations to appear, in a rather simultaneous fashion. All of which are expected to appear from Iran (Persia). Here are my clues, without sources:
1. The appearance of Anti-Christ (Who as I a Baha'i I believe to be Mirza Yahya).
2. Descent of Mahdi (The twelfth Immam of Islam, who is the 'east gate' in the book of Ezekiel. Also, this person I believe as a Baha'i to be the Bab).
3. The Descent of Isa (Isa is the Arabic name for Jesus and Jesus promised His return in 'the glory of God' (
4. First blast of the trumpet (Revelation of the Bab, the 'B' of the Greatest Name).
5. Second blast of the trumpet (Revelation of Baha'u'llah, the 'H' of the Greatest Name).
6. Long interval, while people stand before God for judgment (period I believe is now reaching termination or has been terminated).
7. Judgment Day (literally, the collapse of this world civilization. Figuratively, the coming of the Manifestation of the third Letter "A" of the Greatest Name).
8. The intercession for the faithful few by Muhammad (the 'A' of the Greatest Name, BHA', could it be that this promised Muhammad is Maitreya as promised in scripture? This is the ultimate goal of my search, whereby if it were true I would know the 'Greatest Name' and be one of His first followers).
Furthermore, In Islamic traditions (from Muhammad and Ali) the three Manifestations of the Greatest Name are given titles that indicate their particular part of the Message of the Revelation of the Greatest Name. The first to appear is named the Mahdi, which means guided or enlightened One, who took the name Bab (Gate) at the beginning of His Revelation, but later declared that He was the Qa'im, the Promised One of all religions. (The name Bab was then bestowed upon Mullah Husayn, who was first called the Bab'ul'Bab, or gate of the Gate). The Bab declared that He was the ~B~, the first Letter of the Greatest Name. The Bab stated:
"Whatever is attributed to Me in this Paradise is exactly the same as those things attributed to Him Whom God will make manifest (i.e. Baha'u'llah). Will you not enter this Paradise" (Arabic Bayan).
The second name is Isa, Who was to immediately follow the Qa'im. The name means the Christ Spirit, and indicates the powerful spiritual nature of the Revelation given through Baha'u'llah. Baha'u'llah also laid the foundations of the future World Order of the new age, and gave an indication of the structure of the future world government. He said He represented the 'H' of the Greatest Name of God, BHA' In the Quran Muhammad said that the coming of Isa would be the sign of the coming of the Hour of Judgment for humanity.
"And Jesus (i.e. Isa) will be a Sign for the coming of the Hour of Judgment; therefore have no doubt about the Hour but follow ye Me; this is a Straight Way" (Quran, XLIII:6l).
After the time of Judgment (the Hour or the Appointed Hour), the third Letter of the Greatest Name is to appear, and His name in the traditions is Muhammad, or the Prophet. This is indicative of the role Muhammad played during His lifetime, as an organizer and lawgiver unparalleled in history (see Muhammad the Prophet by Maulana Muhammad Ali, Ripon Press, Lahore). Of course Muhammad also gave powerful spiritual teachings, and the third Letter, the Alif or 'A' will give those teachings which Baha'u'llah destroyed because mankind was not yet ready to receive them. In some Baha'i prayers the Names of the three Manifestations are given as the Most-Exalted, the All-Glorious, and the All-Highest, which, of course, are Names of God, and the Letters of the Greatest Name manifest the All-Mighty God.
Here is my first of two questions. The first question is, the secret language revealed by Muhammad, which was only understood by the elect, that being the mystic words that open each Surah of the Qur'an, are these the same words, that Maitreya explains in His writings?
But perhaps before you answer that question, if you can answer that question, I have one more thought to write down and that is about the prophecy of the seventh angel. Proceeding this thought will be my final question, which if it is God's will maybe answered by Maitreya or his followers of knowledge.
Back to my point: In Some Answered Questions, Abdu'l-Baha explains the significance of the prophecy of the coming of the Seventh Angel mentioned in Revelation. This was explained to Laura Clifford Barney many years after the Ascension of Baha'u'llah, and Abdu'l-Baha speaks entirely in the future tense of the Manifestation Who will appear.
First He describes the Three Woes as the coming of Muhammad, the Bab and Baha'u'llah. Then He switches to the future tense to describe the Manifestation to appear after the Three Woes.
"The Seventh Angel is a man qualified with heavenly attributes, who will arise with heavenly qualities and character. Voices will be raised, so that the appearance of the Divine Manifestation will be proclaimed and diffused. In the Day of the Manifestation of the Lord of Hosts, and the epoch of the divine cycle of the Omnipotent which is promised and mentioned in the books and writings of the Prophets---in that Day of God, the Spiritual and Divine Kingdom will be established, and the world will be renewed; a new spirit will be breathed into the body of creation, the season of the Divine Spring will come, the clouds of mercy will rain, the sun of reality will shine, the life-giving breeze will blow, the world of humanity will wear a new garment, the surface of the earth will be a sublime paradise; mankind will be educated, wars, disputes, quarrels and malignity will disappear; and truthfulness, righteousness, honesty, and the worship of God will rule forevermore; meaning that the Spiritual and Everlasting Kingdom will be established. Such is the day of God, for all the days that have come and gone were the days of Abraham, Moses and Christ, or of the other Prophets; but this day is the day of God, for the sun of reality will arise in it with the utmost warmth and splendor" (Some Answered Questions, Ch. 11).
Every Manifestation is a 'man endowed with heavenly qualities,' as Abdu'l-Baha explains. You will note that Abdu'l-Baha speaks of the day of God, and this is because all Revelations are from God, and all are parts of God's Cause, given through one Holy Spirit. In that Day which is ahead, people will no longer worship the personalities of the Manifestations, but will realize the meaning of the Divine Unity, and see that it is God speaking, and guiding humanity through His Chosen Ones. Then they will speak of God's Cause for all mankind.
"If the sun arises in the west, it would still be the same sun; one must not withdraw from it on account of its rising place nor consider the west to be always the place of sunset" (Some Answered Questions, Chap. 14).
The following is an exact quote from John Carre's book, The Greatest Name:
"The precise geographical location where a Manifestation will appear is never revealed, except perhaps in veiled language, as in the case of Jesus Christ, or where the general area is indicated as in the time of Muhammad. Those who sincerely believe must search for the Manifestation at the time He is to appear, and this in itself is a test of the sincerity of seekers. Those who sought the Bab found Him through prayer, fasting, searching and in some cases through dreams and visions. These matters are discussed in the following chapter. The situation is different with the appearance of every Manifestation, and the tests vary, as discussed in previous chapters. The prophecies we know of indicate that the Manifestation of the third Letter of the Greatest Name will reveal Himself in the West, specifically in America. 'The Hour will not come...until the Sun rises in the West, and all men seeing it will believe.'" A hadith of Muhammad cited in Shorter Encyclopedia of Islam, p. 256
"Issue forth from your cities, 0 peoples of the West and aid your God ere the Day when the Lord of mercy shall come down unto you in the shadow of the clouds..." The Bab in Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 56
"At the third resurrection the sun will rise from the West." A hadith of Muhammad cited in The Heavenly Table, p. 25
"They lift up their voices, they sing for joy; over the majesty of the Lord they shout from the West. Therefore in the East give glory to the Lord; in the coastlines of the sea, to the name of the Lord, the God of Israel..." Isaiah 24:14-15 Revised Standard Edition of the Bible by Nelson and Sons. See also the New English Bible
Abdu'l-Baha made many prophecies about the spiritual future of America. In one of them He infers that the throne of the Kingdom of God will be established in America. These prophecies refer to the future, not to the spiritual condition of the believers at this time, but to a new race of spiritual people who will serve the Cause of God.
"This American nation is equipped and empowered to accomplish that which will adorn the pages of history, to become the envy of the world, and be blest in both the East and the West for the triumph of its people." Abdu'l-Baha cited in God Passes By, p.254.
"Your mission is unspeakably glorious. Should success crown your enterprise, America will assuredly evolve into a center from which waves of spiritual power will emanate, and the throne of the Kingdom of God will in the Plenitude of its majesty and glory be firmly established." Ibid.
"The American continent giveth signs and evidences of very great advancement. Its future is even more promising, for its influence and illumination are far reaching. It will lead all nations spiritually." Ibid.
"May the inhabitants of this country...rise from their present material attainment to such heights that heavenly illumination may stream from this center to all the peoples of the world." Ibid.
"The East hath verily been illumined with the light of the Kingdom. Ere long will this same light shed a still greater illumination upon the West. Then will the hearts of its people be vivified through the potency of the teachings of God and their souls be set aglow with the undying fire of His love." Abdu'l-Baha cited in The World Order of Baha'u'llah. P. 79
In one of these Tablets, addressed to the believers in the north
Eastern states, these weighty and highly significant words are recorded:
"All countries, and all cities and villages are on an equal footing...However, the dweller confereth honor upon the dwelling, some of the countries achieve distinction, and attain a preeminent position. For instance, notwithstanding that some of the countries of Europe and of America are distinguished by, and surpass other countries in, the salubrity of their climate, the wholesomeness of their water, and the charm of their mountains, plains and prairies, yet Palestine became the glory of all nations inasmuch as all the Holy and divine Manifestations from the time of Abraham until the appearance of the Seal of the Prophets (Muhammad), have lived in, or migrated to, or traveled through, that country. Likewise, Mecca and Medina have achieved illimitable glory, as the light of Prophet hood shone forth therein. For this reason Palestine and Hijaz have been distinguished from all other countries. Likewise," is His remarkable disclosure, 'the continent of America, is, in the eyes of the true God, the land wherein the splendors of His light shall be revealed, where the mysteries of His faith shall be unveiled.'" Abdu'l-Baha cited by Shoghi Effendi in Challenging Requirements of the Present Hour, pp. 27-28
The foregoing quotations indicate that the next Manifestation of God will appear in the United States of America. I believe that the Chosen One will begin His Mission in the Central Mountain states, along the Rocky Mountain chain, possibly near Santa Fe. Abdu'l-Baha indicated to believers when He came to America, that this central area would be the safest place when the cataclysm occurs. Those few believers who have sanctified their souls and who submit wholly to the Will of God, will be guided and sustained by God in their search, in the time of Mustaghath. The influence of the Manifestation on these believers will cause a complete transformation of their souls, as described by Abdu'l-Baha.
"O phoenix of the immortal flame kindled in the sacred Tree Baha'u'llah (may my life, my soul, my spirit, be offered up as a sacrifice unto His lowly servants) hath, during His last days on earth given the most emphatic promise that, through the outpourings of the grace of God and the aid and assistance vouchsafed from His Kingdom on high, souls will arise and holy beings appear, who, as stars would adorn the firmament of divine Guidance; illumine the dayspring of loving kindness and bounty; manifest the signs of the unity of God; shine with the light of sanctity and purity; receive their full measure of divine inspiration; raise high the sacred torch of faith; stand as firm as the rock and immovable as the mountain; grow to become luminaries in the heavens of His Revelation, mighty channels of His grace, means for the bestowal of God's bountiful care, heralds calling forth the name of the one true God, and establishers of the world's supreme foundation.
"These shall labor ceaselessly by day and by night, shall heed neither trial nor woes shall suffer no respite in their efforts, shall seek no re-pose, shall disregard all ease and comfort, and, detached and unsullied, shall consecrate every fleeting moment of their life to the diffusion of the divine fragrance and the exaltation of God's holy Word. Their faces will radiate heavenly gladness, and their hearts be filled with joy. Their souls will be inspired, and their foundation stand secure. They shall scatter in the world, and travel throughout all regions. They shall raise their voices in every assembly, and adorn and revive every gathering. They shall speak in every tongue, and interpret every hidden meaning. They shall reveal the mysteries of the Kingdom, and manifest unto every one the signs of God. They shall burn brightly even as a candle in the heart of every assembly, and beam forth as a star upon every horizon. The gentle breeze wafted from the garden of their hearts shall perfume and revive the souls of men, and the revelation of their minds, even as showers, reinvigorate the peoples and nations of the world.' Abdu'l-Baha cited in Baha'i World Faith, p. 354"
With all that being written. My question and dilemma is the same, how can all the above presented evidences coincide with Baha'u'llah's statement in the book of Gleanings which closes my letter as well as opened it:
"Whoso layeth claim to a Revelation direct from God, ere the expiration of a full thousand years, such a man is assuredly a lying impostor. We pray God that He may graciously assist him to retract and repudiate such claim. Should he repent, God will, no doubt, forgive him. If, however, he persisteth in his error, God will, assuredly, send down one who will deal mercilessly with him. Terrible, indeed, is God in punishing! Whosoever interpreteth this verse otherwise than its obvious meaning is deprived of the Spirit of God and of His mercy which encompasseth all created things. Fear God, and follow not your idle fancies. Nay, rather follow the bidding of your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Wise" (Gleanings CLXVI).
...
End.
Maitreya's answers to the
questions posed above
questions posed above
Regarding to the 1000 years of no major Revelations:
Later on the answer to the question above was answered in more detail, as the gentleman was not convinced with the answer above:
You yourself, so eloquently explained, in your previous message, that there are many inferences that there will be, at least, another Manifestation after Baha'u'llah. Even Muslims believe there will be three Major Manifestations after Prophet Muhammad. So all the evidence points to the coming of another Manifestation. Now what Baha'u'llah is saying in the verses below (above, in this page) is either a lie or it is meant not for Him. We already concluded that there are other(s) who will come after Him, so these verses are for the One who is the final Manifestation in God's Plan.
In the Bible, this final Manifestation is clearly shown. He is the One who opens the Book Sealed with the Seven Seals (Revelation chapter 5) and He is the Seventh Angel (Revelation 10:7). He is also the One who will fulfill the Prophecies of His coming. These all are fulfilled by Maitreya. Therefore, the conclusion is that: It is after Maitreya that there will be a thousand years that no Major Prophet (Manifestation) will come and "Whoso layeth claim to a Revelation...," as stated in the verses below (above, in this page), from Baha'u'llah, will be a liar, etc.
Of course it should be clear to you that indeed Maitreya is that last Manifestation for the next thousand years. That is what you have to prove to yourself. We have provided you (all of humanity) with all the evidence that you need to see that He indeed IS HE! He has Fulfilled the Prophecies (all are on our web site). He has opened the Book with the Seven Seals (THOTH). He is the Seventh Angel, as He has brought the Seventh Revelation from God. Each person should understand this evidence, meditate and recognize by themselves who Maitreya IS. We give the evidence and Pray that God guides each person to recognize the Last and the Most Important Manifestation sent by the Most Splendid God.
After all this evidence given, we (including Maitreya) can only Pray that God opens your eyes. As He Desires, may you become!
Mission Of Maitreya, Eternal Divine Path
Maitreya later answered his first question:
"Here is my first of two questions. The first question is, the secret language revealed by Muhammad, which was only understood by the elect, that being the mystic words that open each Surah of the Quran, are these the same words, that Maitreya explains in His writings?"
Note: This message is in its original form. The only changes we have made to it are:
2. In the numbered series 1-7, he had 5 two times, so there are now 8 clues instead of 7.
3. Also sometimes, in these clues, the period was placed within the parenthesis when it should have been outside the parenthesis.
4. There were some personal revelations, which should have been kept private. These are deleted. In their place we have three dots ().
5. The rest of the message is presented as we received it.
The posting of this message in our web site, does not mean that the Mission Of Maitreya agrees and supports all things written by the sender of this email to Maitreya. There are many parts in this email that are not quite as our teachings! It (the email), however, has so much truth in it, that it warranted to be a valuable source of information for humanity (and the Bah's) to ponder on.